MINUTES of the Executive Board Meetings held in Silkeborg, Denmark on 20 and 21 March 2019 ______________________________ Attendees Executive Board Kate Caithness (KCA) Scotland President Graham Prouse (GPR) Canada Vice-President (Americas) Bent Ånund Ramsfjell (BRA) Norway Vice President (Europe) Hugh Millikin (HMI) Australia Vice-President (Pacific-Asia) Beau Welling (BWE) USA Director Hew Chalmers (HCH) Scotland Director Toyo Ogawa (TOG) Japan Director Cathrine Lindahl (CLI) Sweden Director Colin Grahamslaw (CGR) Secretary General Eeva Röthlisberger (ERO) (partly) Head of Competitions Scott Arnold (SAR) (partly) Head of Development Richard Harding (RHA) (partly) Curling Development Officer Saskia Müller-Gastell (SMG) Projects Officer/Minute taker Liz Munro (LMU) WCF Office Manager Apologies None 1. Welcome / Housekeeping KCA welcomed everyone to Silkeborg. The schedule of the forthcoming days was discussed. 2. Conflict of Interest / Disclosure (CGR) A summary of relevant Conflicts of Interest of Board members had been compiled and distributed to the Board in advance and this was now discussed. 1 The following conflicts of interest were added/deleted: Toyo Ogawa Deleted: - Asian Summer Games: Independent Doping Officer Added: - JCA : International Affairs Committee Cathrine Lindahl Deleted: - Sister, Anette Norberg, is a member of the Board of Swedish Curling Association - Potential Competitor at WSCC (not old enough yet) Added: - Sister Anette Norberg playing in WSCC CLI will check if her sister Anette Norberg is still member of the 2026 Bid Committee for Stockholm. 3. President’s Business (KCA) a) President’s Report The President’s report is attached to these minutes. 4. Technical Commission (TOG) A report on the Technical Commission (TC) had been compiled and distributed to the Board in advance and this was now presented by TOG. The presentation included the following facts: The two main purposes of the commission are to provide advice and support to achieve the highest level of playing conditions possible at all levels of the game and to assist in the development of curling facilities around the world both new and existing. The expected outcomes of the Technical Commission are: - Updated requirements for Competition and Club Ice - Regulations for Technical Site Visits - Advice to LOCs to assist them in fulfilling the demands for hosting WCF events - An update of the CIE (Curling Ice explained) as required - Produce a manual on how to build a curling rink - Development of educational programs in technical areas - Recommendations on potential Research and Development The current Commission Members are: 2 Toyo Ogawa - Chair Hans Wüthrich - 2022 Winter Olympic Games Chief Icemaker Marc Callan - 2022 Winter Paralympic Games Chief Icemaker Tom Brewster - 4 year term Leif Öhman - 4 year term Stefan Röthlisberger - 4 year term Greg Ewasko - 2 year term György Nagy - 2 year term TOG explained that the first meeting of the TC would take place in summer 2019 during the camp in Füssen. It was agreed that the terms should only start at that first meeting. 5. Curling World Cup (BRA) KCA updated the Board on the current payment situation from Kingdomway Sports to WCF. It was confirmed that Chinese Curling is currently backing up any deficits in payments so that the first CWC season is secured. The Board felt that for future meetings in China the WCF should generally hire a native Chinese translator. BRA reported that feedback had constantly been collected from different stakeholders (hosts, MA’s, athletes, coaches, broadcaster) throughout the CWC season. An online survey had been carried out during/after the third leg. The survey resulted in 30 responses with an overall satisfaction of 3,9 (based on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (good)). However, the survey results are by no means scientifically correct as responses from players/coached with English as their first language is probably overrated. However, the survey provides some guidance towards “what works” and “what does not” BRA confirmed the following details for the Grand Final participants: 1. The Hosts 2. Winners of leg 1 3. Winners of leg 2 4. Winners of leg 3 5. Highest ranked MA in the CWC Points that had not already got a team qualified 6. 2nd Highest ranked MA in the CWC Points that had not already got a team qualified 7. World Champions 8. Special Invite Further meetings with Kingdomway Sport and Chinese Curling Association will be held during the WWCC2019. 3 6. Update on Renewal of Curling Canada Contract (CGR) CGR explained that Curling Canada are seeking to renew the contract with the WCF for hosting one of the World Men’s or Women’s Curling Championship each year. The current deal ends in 2020 and they are looking to extend the contract to cover the 2021 and 2023 WMCC and the 2022 and 2024 WWCC. Currently the net cost of the in-Canada events is still slightly less than the out-of-Canada events so it does make financial sense to prolong the agreement. The current broadcast model for the events in Canada mean that TSN produce all the Canadian games, where we have a demand, we take that feed and turn it into an international feed for NHK, Eurosport etc. The contract with TSN is now up for renewal and WCF believes that the opportunity should be taken to change the way of working to match the non- Canadian events. The demand we now have from broadcasters means that it would be more efficient and cost effective all round for us to produce the broadcast as we do for the events outwith Canada and for TSN or whoever takes over as the broadcaster in Canada to pay to take our feed. The amount paid for the feed would need to be negotiated and agreed to ensure that the WCF do not come out of the situation financially worse off. 7. Congress 2020 (CGR) CGR said that three bids to host the 2020 WCF Congress had been received. The Board approved the 2020 Congress hosts with the announcement to be made at the 2019 Congress. The Board also agreed that in future a fee would apply to exhibitors. CGR confirmed that requirements for stands would be added to the bidding specification. 8. World Curling Academy Update (SAR) Scott Arnold (SAR) – Head of Development joined the meeting. A presentation on the World Curling Academy had been compiled and distributed to the Board in advance and this was now presented by SAR. SAR explained that the WCF is currently setting up a robust education and development systems and is developing the required global workforce to facilitate the empowerment of the MAs. SAR elaborated on the various courses that would be offered (some of them will be certified courses) and advised that the technical coach courses will be the first to be rolled out. 4 SAR also informed the Board of a future development program for WCF Member Association. Using existing DAP, members would attend workshops and learn more effective ways to leverage DAP and external funds for sustainable development projects. These attendance at such a course could in fact become a prerequisite for accessing DAP in the future. SAR left the meeting. 9. Strategic Plan Discussion (BWE) a) Forward Plan Thoughts (BWE) A Forward Plan draft had been compiled and distributed to the Board in advance and this was now discussed, especially the mission/vision of the WCF as well as its values and culture. b) Presentation to MA's at the Open Meeting (CGR) The Board agreed to present the draft to the members and ask them for further input. The plan was to divide the delegates present into four groups (they may choose which group they would like to attend) each discussing one of the following four strategic areas and its primary goals: - Competition: To run and showcase the best events - Development: To expand our community - Engagement: To promote our identity, our culture, and our values to an ever increasing audience - Organisational Sustainability: To constantly seek improvement as an organization Should the groups finish discussing their main pillar then they may get to discuss further pillars until the total time allocated has been used up. After the breakout sessions each group should come back and report to all delegates and BWE would summarize the comments after Silkeborg. c) Curling Calendar and Commercial Events An initial discussion took place on how to deal with commercial Curling event operators worldwide. The Board also discussed the way that the ranking lists are done and reflected on feedback from athletes and MAs that WCF should be in control of that. It was also stated that the Curling season keeps expanding and is now approx. 9 months long. This gives the top athletes very little time for recovery and will cause more chronic injuries. 5 The Board agreed that WCF (GPR, BWE, HMI and BRA) should sit down with the commercial event operators to discuss a possible co-operation and way forward. 10. Competition & Rules Report a) Future Bids (ERO) Eeva Röthlisberger (ERO) joined the meeting. She presented a chart with the upcoming events for the next seasons. She confirmed that there are hosts assigned for almost all events for the season 2019/2020. The only event still looking for a host is the Mixed Doubles B-event. A Curling club would be appropriate for such an event so bids are very welcome! The Wheelchair B event will be held once again in Lohja, FIN but the dates are different: These are now 28 Nov – 2 December 2019. And, in order not to clash with YOG, the next WJBCC, which will also be held in Lohja, FIN had to be moved to 10-17 December 2019 (instead of January 2020) ERO also confirmed that invitations had been sent to the NOCs eligible to participate in the next YOG.